National Financial Partners Corp. (NYSE: NFP) as entered into a definitive agreement with Madison Dearborn Partners, LLC, a private equity investment firm, under which a controlled affiliate of Madison Dearborn will acquire NFP.

Under the terms of the agreement, NFP shareholders will receive $25.35 in cash for each share of NFP common stock they own, in a transaction with an equity value of approximately $1.3 billion, which includes the full value of the Company's convertible debt. The purchase price represents a premium of approximately 26 percent over NFP's closing share price of $20.05 on March 12, 2013, the last day of trading prior to press reports that NFP was considering a possible sale of the Company.

As previously disclosed, as a result of interest it had received from private equity firms, NFP's Board of Directors formed a special committee of independent directors to explore a possible sale of the Company. After a thorough and rigorous process, and with the assistance of its legal and financial advisors, the special committee negotiated and recommended this transaction with Madison Dearborn to the full Board. The transaction was unanimously approved by the Board.

he transaction, which is subject to the approval of holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of NFP common stock and other customary closing conditions, is expected to close in the third quarter.

BofA Merrill Lynch served as financial advisor to the Board and the special committee, while Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP was their legal counsel. Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP served as legal advisor to the Company. UBS Securities LLC served as financial advisor to Madison Dearborn, while Ropes & Gray LLP served as its legal advisor.